SILVERDALE — The North Kitsap Wrestling Team, looking to improve under second-year coach Jon Cooke, took its lumps but also gained valuable experience at the perennial Matman tournament, held Saturday at Central Kitsap High School.

“We had a good first round but then the level of competition kind of got to us,” Cooke said. “So we were kind of disappointed.”

The Vikings finished 12th as a team with 69 points with heavyweight Danny Glushko coming out of the meet as the highest placing individual. Glushko tied for third at 275 pounds and was the highlight of the day for Cooke.

“We had quite a few fifth-place finishers but in a tournament like this, it’s disappointing,” Cooke said. “But we learned. We saw what competition is all about.”

Glushko won his first match by pinning Tahoma’s Matt Mitchell in just 55 seconds but then faced Olympic’s Paul Kogut. Kogut won 11-4 on his way to the title.

“He had a good day,” Cooke said. “We lost to (the eventual winner) so that was a good day for us.”

Other placers for the Vikings included Matt Grimes, who tied teammate Kyle Cetnerowski for fifth at 119 pounds, Cory Bast tied for fifth at 160 pounds and Mike Storey who tied for fifth at 189. Cooke said his squad is more geared for duals meets since it lacks any individual stars that could excel at a tournament. The Vikings are 3-0 in Narrows League Bridge Division action but have yet to face South, which will happen in Poulsbo Jan. 25.